Conte, currently Italy’s national team manager, and Chelsea are in discussions over the Italian taking the head coach’s job at Stamford Bridge next summer, Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Italia’s Valentina Fass reported Tuesday. If Conte agrees to a contract, he’d take charge of Chelsea this summer after UEFA Euro 2016.

Conte visited Chelsea last fall, and Gazzetta dello Sport claims he was impressed by its facilities, youth structure and first-team squad. The report adds Conte already has begun learning English in anticipation of a Premier League adventure.

Before he became Italy’s head coach in August 2014, Conte masterminded Juventus’ return to the pinnacle of Italian soccer. He led Juventus to three consecutive Serie A (Italian first division) titles between 2012 and 2014 — a stretch which included an unbeaten league campaign in 2011-12.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport’s report, Conte could tell Italian federation officials in mid-March he intends to leave his national-team job when his contract expires after Euro 2016. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich then would announce Conte as his team’s next manager if they have reached an agreement by then.

Conte would succeed Guus Hiddink, who replaced Jose Mourinho as manager in December.

Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri, and former Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli also are thought to be in the running for the Chelsea job, but all signs point to Conte as the odds-on favorite.

Wayne Rooney could end his time with Manchester United this summer in a hail of money.

Manchester United is considering selling Rooney to a Chinese club this summer, The Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst and The Mirror’s David McDonnell reported Thursday.

An unnamed club, believed to be Shanghai Shenhua, made a £27 million ($39 million) transfer bid for Rooney, according to McDonnell, and Lockhurst’s sources suggest the Red Devils might accept the offer if they can replace the club legend with a marquee name this summer.

Rooney has been at Manchester United for 12 years and is five goals short of Sir Bobby Charlton’s record for most in club history. Rooney is thought to be keen on breaking Charlton’s record, but his most recent injury has cast doubt on whether he can do it this season.

Manchester United could be willing to sell Rooney, 30, especially for a fee that surpasses the £25.6 million ($37 million) it paid Everton for him in 2004.

Rooney’s current mega-contract expires in 2019. If Manchester United accepts the bid from China, Rooney must decide whether he’s willing to stay at Old Trafford or sign with a Chinese team and earn a reported £500,000-a-week (£26 million/$37.3 million per season) over three years.

Chinese Super League clubs have made waves in 2016, luring several stars from European clubs with top wages and transfer fees.

Manchester United has opened talks with Mourinho’s representatives over him becoming the club’s manager on July 1, the BBC’s Dan Roan and Simon Stone reported Friday. Mourinho reportedly would jump at the chance to replace Louis van Gaal, who would leave two years into his expected three-year tenure, in the dugout at Old Trafford.

Mourinho has been out of work since Dec. 17 when Chelsea fired him — just six months after he led the Blues to the 2014-15 Premier League title. Following his dismissal, Mourinho said in a statement he wanted to return to work quickly and would remain in England.

Mourinho had previous interest in the Manchester United job — so much that he was so distraught at the Red Devils’ 2013 decision to hire David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor that he cried, according to Spanish soccer correspondent Diego Torres.

Mourinho will have had almost three years to wipe those tears away and plot his next move.

Only an embattled van Gaal and assistant manager Ryan Giggs now block the entrance door at Manchester United, and club officials could be set to jettison the Dutchman and club legend in June in order to welcome Mourinho to the “Theater of Dreams.”

Imagine Lionel Messi playing in the white jersey of Real Madrid. Such a scenario might have come to pass if things went according to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez’s plans.

Spanish radio program “El Partido de las Doce,” which airs on Cadena COPE, reported Thursday that Real Madrid made three attempts to sign Messi from FC Barcelona in recent years, according to The Press Association.

“Thanks, but my club is FC Barcelona,” COPE claims Messi said, according to Eurosport’s Tom Adams.

Real Madrid made its first move for Messi in the summer of 2011 when Ronaldo was weighing the possibility of making a big-money move to Manchester City. Perez deployed a friend (who had no official role at Real Madrid) to meet with one of Messi’s representatives outside of Spain. The intermediary returned without tempting Messi to change teams.

Real Madrid’s next attempt came in June 2013, as Ronaldo was stalling on signing a new contract and considering returning to Manchester United. Perez sent one of Real Madrid’s senior executives to meet someone from Messi’s camp, but the Argentine superstar gave the same response as before: no thanks.

Finally, the same executive met with a Messi representative in 2015 but received another rejection.

Messi would have cost Real Madrid a fortune, but his move would have been nothing short of seismic in soccer and sports. It wasn’t meant to be. Instead, one of sports’ all-time great personal and team rivalries remains in place.

Howard is in talks over a potential transfer from Everton to Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, NBC’s Joe Prince-Wright reported Tuesday, and ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle reported Wednesday, citing sources with knowledge of the situation. If the move comes to fruition, Howard would end his European soccer career after 13 years and return stateside for the final stage of his storied career.

In the most likely scenario, Howard, 36, would sign with Colorado this month but remain with Everton until the end of the 2015-16 season, according to Carlisle and Prince-Wright. Howard then would join Colorado in May — nearly three months into the 2016 MLS season.

Colorado reportedly is willing to pay Howard an annual salary of between $2 million and $3 million, making him the highest-paid goalkeeper in MLS.

Such an offer could tempt Howard away from Everton, a club he has represented for the last decade. His contract with Everton expires after the 2017-18 season, but the Toffees could be willing to allow him to join Colorado on a free transfer.

Howard previously played three seasons with Manchester United, following his transfer from the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (currently the New York Red Bulls) in 2003.

Howard said in 2014 he had no intention of returning to MLS. Instead he wanted to retire after running down his Everton contract and playing for the United States at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The bond Luis Suarez shares with Liverpool FC and its fans didn’t break when he joined Barcelona in July 2014.

Suarez revealed to ESPN on Tuesday that he’d only play for Liverpool should he ever return to the Premier League, according to The Press Association.

“You never know what will happen in the future,” Suarez told ESPN, according to the PA. “If I was to return to England, it would be to play for Liverpool — not for any other team.”

Suarez became a Liverpool legend during his two-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield. He scored 82 goals in 133 appearances for the Reds, including 31 strikes in 33 Premier League games in that unforgettable 2013-14 season.

The Uruguayan has thrived at Barcelona since he left Liverpool in a £75 million ($107 million) transfer. But Suarez’s comfort and success haven’t diminished his memories of the love he felt for and from Liverpool’s fans.

“Everyone that has played for Liverpool knows how important the supporters are. They know that they are in my heart.”

Suarez, 29, wasn’t hinting a possible return is in the works, but his affection for his former was evident in his comments. If he ever enters the transfer market, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and City shouldn’t bother throwing money Barcelona’s way. The same goes for every other English club that thinks Suarez could help its cause.

Matt Miazga’s rocket-like ascent in United States soccer is set to take him out of the Big Apple and into the bright lights of Chelsea and the Premier League.

Miazga will join Chelsea from Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls this week, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Doug McIntyre reported Tuesday, citing multiple sources. Miazga will instantly transition from his current status as one of U.S. soccer’s top prospects to one of America’s greatest hopes upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

A host of Premier League clubs have been scouting Miazga in recent months, and the fast-acting Blues will pay around £3.5 million ($5 million) for the 20-year-old center back, according to The Mail’s Sami Mokbel. Miazga’s contract with the Red Bulls would have expired after the 2016 season. He has expressed an interest in playing in Europe, and the Red Bulls have decided to sell him now, instead of losing him for nothing as a free agent.

Miazga is coming off a breakout 2015 season with the Red Bulls, during which he led the club to the Supporters Shield (best regular-season record) and earned a spot on the U.S. men’s national team.

While Miazga has plenty of talent, his possession of a Polish passport also is an important factor in his impending move. The passport allows him to work in the United Kingdom without a work permit — something he might not have been able to acquire with only an American passport.

Sources close to the player told Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl that Miazga will spend the rest of the 2015-16 season with Chelsea. He’ll have the final four months of the current season and next summer’s preseason to earn a spot, and playing time, with Chelsea’s first team.

Real Madrid paid more for Gareth Bale than it did Cristiano Ronaldo, and Football Leaks has the documents to prove it.

Football Leaks on Wednesday published documents which reveal Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur a world-record fee for Bale. Real Madrid paid Tottenham €100,759,417 (£84.5 million/$132 million) for Bale, as was widely reported at the time of his transfer.

For two-and-a-half years, Real Madrid has claimed it paid €91 million ($123 million, £78 million) for Bale, which is less than the €94 million ($128 million, £80 million) it paid Manchester United in 2009 for Ronaldo.

Football Leaks’ documents show Real Madrid wasn’t lying outright when saying Ronaldo cost more than Bale. Tottenham offered Real Madrid two choices, according to Spanish newspaper AS: pay €87 million up front or pay four installments of around €25 million within 15 days of the transfer. Real Madrid chose the latter option.

The documents also reveal the transfer agreement prevented Bale and Tottenham from revealing financial details to the press.

On Jan. 4, 2016, The BBC’s Journalist Jonathan Northcroft revealed Real Madrid asked him not to write about Bale’s fee because Ronaldo “doesn’t like to see that someone else cost more than him.”

Football Leaks, a site which aims to drag the soccer world’s transfer dealings from darkness into the sunlight, appears to have solved one of the bigger mysteries of recent years.

Original Story: Didier Drogba is set to make his third coming to Chelsea, but this one couldn’t be more different from the other two.

Drogba, 37, has decided to retire as a player and begin his coaching career, French magazine L’Equipe reported Wednesday, citing Canadian sources. Drogba will join Chelsea’s coaching staff under interim manager Guus Hiddink.

Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact apparently will have been the final stop on Drogba’s playing career. He arrived in Montreal in July and led the Impact into the MLS Cup playoffs with one of the most rampant goal-scoring runs the league has ever seen.

Most expected Drogba to play for Montreal in 2016, but Chelsea’s firing of Jose Mourinho on Dec. 17 changed the Ivorian’s plans. Drogba on Dec. 19 watched Chelsea’s win over Sunderland from owner Roman Abramovich’s box at Stamford Bridge.

Drogba’s appearance sparked speculation over a potential return to Chelsea, and he, Chelsea, Montreal and MLS have been in talks over his future in recent weeks.

We are currently in contact with Didier Drogba and Chelsea FC. We are doing everything we can to have him back with the Impact in 2016.#IMFC

Pep Guardiola is set to take his considerable managerial talents to England. At least we know that much.

Guardiola on Tuesday ended one frenzy of speculation and fueled another when he revealed his reasons for deciding to leave his job as Bayern Munich’s head coach after the 2015-16 season.

“I want to experience a new city and I want to work in England,” Guardiola said at a press conference, according to the BBC. “I have several offers from England but I haven’t signed anything yet.

“I have an opportunity to work in England. I’m at the right age and I feel it is the right move for me.

“That is the reason I have taken this decision.”

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are thought to be in the running for the services of Guardiola, the most in-demand and highly regarded coach in the soccer world. By most accounts, Manchester City leads the race.

Sky Germany reported Tuesday Guardiola has chosen Manchester City, as the presences of two of his former FC Barcelona colleagues at the Premier League club have swayed him to the sky blue side of Manchester.

“His old friends Ferran Soriano (chief executive officer) and Txiki Begiristain (director of football) are there and, I think Manchester City hired them only to get Pep Guardiola one day, and that day will come in the summer. Our sources say he will join Manchester City next year.”

The Sky Germany report reinforces the view of Spanish Radio station Cadena COPE — a reliable source on all things Guardiola — which filed a similar report about his future in mid-December.

But Guardiola has yet to sign a contract.

The Telegraph and other outlets have recently reported the romantic in him is pushing him toward the Manchester United job, should it open next season. Louis van Gaal currently is under intense pressure at Old Trafford, and the chances of the Dutchman continuing next season and beyond appear to be slim.

But some speculate Guardiola would prefer to live and work in London than in north-west England.

Arsene Wenger is trying to guide Arsenal to its first Premier League title since 2004. If the Gunners prevail this season, some believe Wenger, 66, could step aside for Guardiola to assume control at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea fired Jose Mourinho last month and replaced him with Guus Hiddink, but the latter is working at Stamford Bridge under an “interim manager” title. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has wanted Guardiola as his team’s coach for at least three years. Abramovich also has enough money and will power to make dreams come true.

Guardiola’s resume includes 14 major trophies in four years as Barcelona’s coach. He has led Bayern Munich to two Bundesliga (German first division) titles and is on course for a third.

A UEFA Champions triumph would serve as Guardiola’s crowning achievement in Germany, but English soccer will inherit him — at a time and place of his choosing.

Liverpool’s current fullback shortage could prompt the Premier League club to accelerate its pursuit of Ben Chilwell.

Liverpool is scouting Chilwell and considering whether to bid around £4 million ($6 million) to sign him from Leicester City, The Telegraph’s John Percy and The Mail’s Simon Jones reported Tuesday. Liverpool originally intended to pursue Chilwell next summer, but his development and the club’s immediate needs could prompt a transfer raid in January.

Chilwell, 19, is a highly rated left back and the current captain of England’s U-20 national team. He spent the first three months of this season with Leicester City but struggled to break into the Foxes’ lineup. He joined Championship (English second division) club Huddersfield Town in late November in order to play competitive games.

Chilwelell has impressed during the short spell at Huddersfield, starting seven games between Nov. 28 and Dec. 28, and Huddersfield manager David Wagner reportedly has sent Liverpool manager — and close friend — Jurgen Klopp rave reviews about him.

Leicester City is expected to recall Chilwell in January, following an injury to Jeffrey Schlupp.

Alberto Moreno is the only first-team left back on whom Jurgen Klopp can rely to play regular games. Brad Smith, 21, is Moreno’s deputy, but he has played just three games in his nascent Liverpool career.

Liverpool is not the only Premier League club interested in Chilwell. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham also are following him.

Leicester City reportedly rejected a £3.5 million ($5.2 million) bid from Arsenal last summer. The high-flying Foxes might be bracing themselves for another bid, this time from Liverpool, in the coming weeks.

Marko Grujic will herald Liverpool’s new era on the field while he wears a number, which symbolizes a previous time, on the back of his jersey.

Grujic has agreed to join Liverpool from Red Star Belgrade in a transfer worth £5 million ($7.5 million), The Mail’s Simon Jones and The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce reported Monday. Grujic is expected to fly to England this week for a physical exam. He’ll reportedly join Liverpool officially next month, but the Reds will loan him back to Red Star for the rest of the season.

“We will, in the next three days, sign a contract with Liverpool,” Terzic told RTS, according to ESPN. “Marko Grujic will sign a five-year contract with Liverpool … He’ll get No. 8 on the back.”

Inter Milan and Stuttgart were foremost among Grujic’s other suitors, but the influence of Jurgen Klopp and his Serbian assistant manager, Zeljko Buvac, appears to have swung the midfielder toward Liverpool.

Grujic, 19, is set to become Jurgen Klopp’s first signing as Liverpool manager.

Grujic’s pedigree as an U-20 FIFA World Cup winner and one of Eastern Europe’s top prospects suggests he has enough talent to succeed at Anfield. However, either upholding or enhancing Gerrard’s legacy will take years, perhaps decades, for Grujic to achieve.

Joel Matip has a big decision to make in the coming weeks. He can stay put at FC Schalke 04 or take his talents to Anfield or elsewhere, if rumors are correct.

Liverpool is interested in signing Matip on a free transfer, The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe reported Monday and The Liverpool Echo’s Neil Jones reported Tuesday. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has identified Matip as a viable reinforcement at center back and defensive midfield.

Matip’s contract with Schalke expires at the end of this season. He can sign a pre-contract agreement with Liverpool or another club starting Jan. 1.

German newspaper Bild reported Monday that Schalke has offered Matip a new, four-year contract. Schalke managing director Horst Heldt said Matip will decide on his future in the coming weeks.

“Our competition is tough,” Heldt told Bild, according to 101 Great Goals. “We have agreed with his consultants that in January we will make a decision.”

Matip is all but certain to remain with Schalke until the end of the season, regardless of his contract decision.

Klopp knows Matip, 24, well from the times they’ve spent in the Bundesliga (German first division). Matip has been a first-team regular at Schalke since the 2009-2010 season. He also has played for Cameroon’s national team since 2010.

Jones and Bascombe claim Klopp is willing to allow Kolo Toure to leave Liverpool at the end of this season when his contract expires. Matip then would arrive as Toure’s replacement in a newly fortified back line.

Inter Milan and Stuttgart also are in the race to sign Grujic form Red Star Belgrade, The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce and The Mail’s Simon Jones reported Tuesday.

Grujic revealed last week he’s in talks with the Reds over a transfer from his boyhood club to Anfield.

The latest reports indicate Liverpool and Red Star haven’t reached an agreement over a transfer fee for Grujic, and his other suitors haven’t given up hope of signing one of Europe’s top young talents.

Stuggart already has made a £5 million ($7.5 million) bid, according to Jones’ report. Inter Milan has the financial resources to compete at hat price.

Grujic, 19, is impressing in his first season as a central-midfield starter at one of Serbia’s leading clubs. He played a key role last summer in Serbia’s U-20 World Cup-winning team, and his domestic performances this season have thrust him into the transfer market.

The possibility remains Grujic will sign with another club in January, but his new team will loan him back to Red Star for the rest of the season. Grujic then will take his first steps toward stardom in Western Europe beginning next season.

The personal lives of soccer players Jonathan Dos Santos and Mateo Musacchio might vault into the worldwide public sphere.

Citing a source close to the players, Jorge Bustamente of Mexican gossip magazine TV Notas reported Tuesday that Dos Santos and Musacchio have been romantically involved with each other for the last seven months. The two are teammates at La Liga (Spanish first division) club Villarreal.

Marko Grujic has the pedigree of a future star, and he could hone his talent at Anfield.

Grujic revealed Tuesday he has spoken to Liverpool representatives, presumably about his future plans and a potential transfer from Red Star Belgrade. Liverpool scouted Grujic on Saturday and contacted the player and/or his representatives following Red Star’s 7-2 win over Cukaricki, according to The Indendent and The Telegraph.

The 19-year-old center midfielder is impressing in his first season as a starter at one of Serbia’s leading clubs. He played a key role last summer in Serbia’s U-20 World Cup-winning team, and his domestic performances this season have thrust him into the transfer market.

Grujic could be one of Liverpool’s transfer targets for the January window, but he wants to remain with his club in Serbia until the end of the season.

“I’ll try to respect the club, the fans and the general public, but again I think that for myself I have to choose the best environment where I get the chance to play and where I work with good coaches in good conditions,” Grujic said, according to the Independent.

“It is certain that I remain here until the end of qualifying for the (UEFA) Champions League. I had a talk with Liverpool, but I did not receive yet any agreement. I’m still a Red Star player.”

The Liverpool Echo and The Telegraph claim Red Star could be willing to sell Grujic for around £5 million ($7.5 million).

Chelsea and AS Roma also are believed to be interested in signing Grujic.

Sturridge strained his hamstring Sunday during Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League loss to Newcastle, according to The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe, The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce and The Guardian’s Andy Hunter. Sturridge alerted Liverpool’s medical staff about the ailment following his 30-minute appearance against Newcastle. He underwent a scan Tuesday, and results confirmed he had strained the muscle but not torn it.

Liverpool hasn’t put a timetable on Sturridge’s return, and the reports predict he’ll be out “for weeks.” Sturridge likely will miss at least three weeks of action, which could include all of the Reds’ games over the festive period.

A litany of injuries have limited Sturridge to just 24 appearances — or 30 percent of Liverpool’s games — since the start of last season.

Sturridge’s absence leaves Christian Benteke and Divock Origi as the only healthy strikers in Liverpool’s first team. Roberto Firmino has played as a make-shift center forward in recent weeks, giving manager Jurgen Klopp another viable option.

Jack Butland is in no rush to play for Liverpool or any club other than Stoke City.

Butland, 22, told Sky Sports on Monday he hopes to reach the highest level one day, but he’s happy playing for Stoke City at this early stage of his career.

“It has always been a target of mine,” Butland said. “I do want to play at the top. But at the minute, I can’t fault where I am. I am in a brilliant squad who are playing extremely well and things are looking bright for the club.

“Right now I can’t see any better place for me to be. I am learning every week and I am playing with some great players. The goalie coach I am really happy with and learning a lot from the staff as well.

“Personally, I am very comfortable and very happy where I am. I believe that we can do some really good things at Stoke, so that is where my whole focus is at the minute.

Butland is impressing in his first season as a starting goalkeeper in the Premier League, and he has a good chance of earning a place this summer on England’s Euro 2016 squad. His instant Premier League success naturally is attracting lots of attention.

Reports surfaced late last month in the English newspapers, which linked Butland with a potential move to Liverpool during the January transfer rumor. Stoke City immediately denied the rumor, saying it has no intention of selling Butland this season.

Butland views the Liverpool link as nothing more than a compliment.

“Anything beyond that (his Stoke City situation) is purely speculation and rumors,” he said. “It is obviously wonderful to be linked with a club with the history of Liverpool.

“But this is where I am. I am still really proud of the team for the performance at the weekend, and it is something I am really proud of being a part of.”

It’s now OK to strike Butland from Liverpool’s list of January transfer targets, if you haven’t already.

Liverpool has opened talks with the goalkeeper over a new contract, The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson reported Tuesday and ESPN’s Mike Whalley reported Wednesday, citing sources. Mignolet’s current contract expires in 2018, but Liverpool reportedly wants to sign the Belgian to new terms before he enters the final two years of his contract.

Mignolet, 27, has been Liverpool’s No. 1 goalkeeper since 2013, when he joined the club in a £9 million ($13.5 million) transfer from Sunderland. He currently earns around £60,000 per week (£3.1 million/$4.7 million per year), and Liverpool will offer him an increased salary, according to Whalley and Jackson.

The reports came one day after Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refuted rumors claiming he wants to find a replacement for Mignolet in the January transfer market. Klopp said he’s comfortable with Liverpool’s current crop of goalkeepers and he expects Mignolet to improve.

“I’ve worked with a lot of goalkeepers in the last few years, and Simon Mignolet is one of the smartest I ever had,” Klopp said during his pre-Southampton press conference, according to ESPN. “He’s young enough to develop and improve. He didn’t have the easiest situation before I came here. There’s been nothing to criticize since I came here. Absolutely nothing.”

Mignolet was struggling mightily 12 months ago. He lost his position at the end of 2014 after making a series of mistakes, but he recovered his form and played well for most of 2015.

Guillaume Hubert’s first performances for Standard Liege eventually could pave his way to Liverpool.

Liverpool is scouting Hubert and could target him for a transfer in January 2016, The Mail’s Sami Mokbel and The Guardian’s Dominic Fiefield reported Monday. Standard Liege would consider selling Hubert in January for around £600,000 to £700,000 ($900,000 to 1.1 million), according to Fiefield and Mokbel.

Fiefield claims Liverpool would plan to sign Hubert in January, then loan him back to Standard Liege for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

Hubert, 21, has played just seven games for Standard Liege’s first team, but his displays since he made his debut in late October have alerted Liverpool and others to his considerable talent. His 6-foot, 6-inch frame and status as a Belgian U-21 international also make him an attractive target.

Aston Villa and Swansea City also have scouted Hubert in recent weeks. Both can afford to sign Hubert for the reported fee.

Simon Mignolet and Adam Bogdan currently are Liverpool’s top two goalkeepers.